Refrigerating apparatus



general by the numeral 30.

' l2 and motor 44. Any suitable type of motor Patented Oct. 27, 1942 REFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS Lawrence A. Philipp, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Micln, a corporation of Maryland Application May 24, 1939, Serial No. 275,379

2 Claims.

I This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to the removal of heat from motor-compressor units employed in such apparatus.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide tem of thetype wherein the unit is enclosed in a casing which stores lubricant for the system and which receives the discharge refrigerant from the compressor.

Another object is to provide an improved arrangement for removing heat from the lubricant in the aforesaid casing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

The figure in the drawing is a schematic illustration of a refrigerating apparatus features of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 20 designates in general a compartment to be cooled which may be the food storage compartment of a household refrigerator. Within the compartment embodying an improved arrangement for removing heat from a motor-compressor unit of a refrigerating SyS-Ls 20 there is shown a refrigerant evaporating unit 22 which is supplied with liquid refrigerant through conduit 24 under the control of a small diameter tube 28 which controls the amount of liquid refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 22.

Gaseous refrigerant is withdrawn from the evaporator 22 through a vapor return conduit 28. The evaporator 22 is supplied with liquid refrigerant and, the gaseous refrigerant is withdrawn therefrom .by a condensing unit designated in Th condensing unit 30 includes casing 32 which consists of a dome 34 and base member 36 which are preferably welded together as at 33 5 to form a sealed casing. Within the casing '32 is a second casing 40 which houses a compressog an compressor may be used as desired. 7 The compressor 42 withdraws evaporated refrigerant from theovaporator 22 througnconduit 23 which extends through the casing. 32iand leads to the intake of the compressor. The compressor compresses the evaporated refrigerant and discharges same through conduit 46 into th cas- The compressed refrigerant is' then con- 48 to a condenser 50 ing 32. ducted through conduit and from which it flows to conduit 24 into the evaporator 22.

The casing 32 forms a reservoir for 1ubricant,'

the level of which I have shown at 54. This lubricant is utilized for lubricating the compressor andsince the lubricant is under the pressure of the discharge side of the compressor, lubricant will be forced through conduit 56 to movable'ele mentsof the compressor to lubricate same as is well understood in the art. Anysurplus lubricant which enters the compressor will be discharged through discharge conduit 46 back into the casing 32 whence it will flow to the lower part thereof. The particular manner in which the compressor is lubricated forms no part of the present invention and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

In motor-compressorunits which are enclosed within a casing it has been found that considerable heat is generated and that it is desirable to remove this heat for efficient operation of the unit. In the present invention I provide a coiled refrigerant containing conduit 60 which is wrapped around and in good thermal contact with the casing 40 so as to absorb heat from the motor and compressor Within the casing-40. It is to be noted that the motor 53 and compressor 42 are supported by a common support 63 and that that common support' is in contact with a wall of the casing to so as to transmit the heat from the motor and compressor to the casing 43.

- The conduit 60 also includes a portion 66 which extends outside of the casing 32 where it is exposed to the temperature of the environment air of the'room in which the apparatus is located. If desired any suitable form of motor driven fan (not shown) may be used for blowing air over the condenser 50 and the portion 66 of the conduit 60. This causes the refrigerant in the conduit 60 to be condensed in the portion 66 whence it returns through return portion 10 of conduit to wherein the compressed refrigerant is condensed the lower part of the casing 40 and as it evapcrates will rise upwardly and pass through portion I2 0f the conduit Gil to portion 85,

Some of the heat generated by the motor-com pressor unit will pass to the body of lubricant in the lower part of casing 32 and since the conduit which is wrapped aroundthe casing," is im- 'mersed in the body of lubricant in the casing 32,

the refrigerating effect of the conduit aids in dissipating the heat from the'lubricant since the heat of the lubricant is absorbed in the refrigerant in the conduit ill and passes to the condenser 68 where such heat is dissipated.

From the foregoing it will readily be apparent that I have provided an improved arrangement said refrigerant, and a volatile refrigerant corn for removing heat from a motor-compressor unit taining member extending into said lubricant and of a refrigerating system of the type wherein the being directly secured to said first casing adjamotor-compressor unit is enclosed in a casing cent said motor and said compressor for absorbwhich stores lubricant for the system and which 5 ing heat therefrom and including a condensing receives the discharge refrigerant from the cornportion disposed exteriorly of said second casing. pressor and that the heat of the lubricant is re- 2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a momoved also. tor-compressor unit, a casing enclosin said unit Although only a preferred form of the invenand being arranged in heat exchange relation tion has been illustrated, and that form described 1 therewith, a second casing enclosing the first casin detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in ing for receiving refrigerant discharged by said the art that various modifications may be made compressor and being adapted to contain a quantherein without departing from the spirit of the tity of lubricant, a condenser for condensing said invention or from the scope of th appended refrigerant, a volatile refrigerant containing claims. 15 member extending into said lubricant and being I claim: directly secured to said first casing adjacent said 1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a momotor and said compressor for absorbing heat tor-compressor unit, a casing enclosing said unit therefrom and including a condensing portion and being arranged in heat exchange relation disposed exteriorly of said second casing, and therewith, a second casing enclosing the first 20 means for conducting the cooled lubricant to said casing for receiving refrigerant discharged by motor compressor unit. said compressor and being adapted to contain a quantity of lubricant, a condenser for condensing LAWRENCE A. PHILIPP. 

